LIVERPOOL’S Nick Dougherty is facing up to a 31st missed cuts in his last 32 events in the South African Open following a disappointing first round.

He had a 76 and it 11 shots off the lead held jointly by Scotland’s Steven O’Hara and South African Jbe Kruger.

Dougherty had double-bogey sevens on the third and 16th and is danger of seeing another event cut short.

Southport’s Lee Slattery on the other hand is still in the hunt after an opening round 70 to put him five behind the leaders.

O’Hara, meanwhile, handled the pressure of trying to save his European Tour card to take a share of the first-round lead.

O’Hara, who began the year with a fourth-place finish at the Africa Open, needs at least another at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Serengeti course and began with a seven-under-par 65.

A team-mate of Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell in the 2001 Walker Cup, the 31-year-old shares top spot with Kruger.

Twice winner Retief Goosen is among those only one behind, while five-time champion Ernie Els began his title defence with a 69 and England’s Simon Dyson – at 32nd in the world the highest-ranked player in the field – shot 70.

O’Hara, who eagled the 576-yard eighth and had six birdies, said: “I hit a lot of great shots. I had it inside 10 feet pretty much every hole and felt I could have made more birdies.”

He is 134th on the Tour money list and has to climb to 118th to be exempt for next season. As things stand this is his last opportunity, but a top-five finish would give him a place in next week’s Hong Kong Open.

O’Hara had a golden chance at the Czech Open in August to make his immediate future secure, leading with a round to go before dropping to fifth with three closing bogeys.

Goosen shares third spot with fellow South Africans Merrick Bremner, David Hewan and Tyrone Mordt.